Tag: Krasnodar

The French Ligue 1 started this weekend in great fashion as we saw 33 goals scored, the top 4 teams winning and a crazy 3-4 between Angers and Nimes.

On Friday Marseille received Toulouse, in a game that saw the first VAR decision in the league. A cross from the right side to Valere Germain was intercepted with the hand by a Toulouse defender and after the VAR review a penalty was given. Payet didn’t miss it and Marseille took the lead in the 45th minute. In the second half the home side kept the pressure, scored more 3 goals (Payet, Germain and Thauvin) to close the game with a 4-0 win.

Monaco had an expected though match in Nantes but after having a bad time during the first half, the vice-champions scored 3 goals in the second half to win 1-3. Rony Lopes, Jovetic and Falcao were the scorers for Monaco and Emiliano Sala for Nantes. With one more season selling some of their best players, Monaco hopes that Leonardo Jardim can make magic again.

Even with a lot of magic, will not be easy for someone to beat PSG in the race for the title. in the gameweek 1 they had no trouble to defeat Caen, even with some kind of alternative lineup. The youngsters Dagba, Nsoki, Bernede and Nkunku got a chance to start and see Neymar scoring his first of the season. Rabiot and Weah scored the other 2 goals of the game. This is the second goal for Weah, after also scoring in the Super Cup against Monaco. PSG has a very deep squad but the forward will look to have some more playing time when compared to last season.

In Angers we saw probably the craziest game of the weekend in Europe. The promoted side Nimes was down 1-3 on the 75th minute, saw their striker Clement Depres scoring the 2-3 only one minute after he came in and on the 79th minute they found themselves playing with 10. In a dramatic end of the game, Ripart scored the 3-3 on the 85th minute and Depres scored again on the 89th minute to give the 3 points to Nimes. Angers will certainly remember this game for a long time.

CSKA and Lokomotiv keep losing points in Russia

In Russia we go already with 3 rounds completed and Zenit is the only team only with wins. Yesterday they traveled to Kazan and beat Rubin 0-1. The only goal of the game came on the 78th minute by Erokhin, in a period when Zenit was one man down. Also yesterday and also with one man down, Krasnodar defeated Ufa 0-1 and they sit now 4th with 6 points.

The teams from Moscow had a quite disappointing weekend, with Spartak having a narrow 1-0 win against Anzhi. Their mind looked to be already in the Champions League qualifier and the only goal came when the away team was playing with 9. Ze Luis scored the winner. CSKA was even less convincing, as they only managed to save a point in the game against the promoted side Yenisey. The striker Abel Hernandez scored the goal for them when when they were one man down. This was a round with several red cards.

The biggest surprise was the defeat of Lokomotiv Moscow against the other promoted side, Orenburg. In 3 games the champions have 0 goals scored and only 2 points. Orenburg is the early surprise of the season as they sit 3rd with 6 points.

The Russian Premier League continued today with more 3 games and in Kazan we had the biggest match of the round with two of the dark horses facing each other.

After a disappointing season last year, Rubin Kazan stars the year with a 2-1 win against Krasnodar. The Iranian Messi Sardar Azmoun scored a brace in the first half with Smolov scoring for Krasnodar. In the second half the away team had indeed more possession but, as usual in Berdyev teams, Rubin was always comfortable in defense.

Semak and Zenit start with a away win

Earlier in the afternoon Zenit had to suffer to beat the promoted Yenisey. With a very different starting 11 when compared with last season, Semak started with Hermani, Shatov, Noboa and Dzyuba, all players that did not count for Mancini.

And it was Artem Dzyuba who opened the score in the 80th minute. The Russian striker keeps his World Cup shape and should be one of the stars for Zenit this year. 5 minutes later Zuzyayev scored the second.

This first round continues tomorrow with the Champion Lokomotiv travelling to Ufa. Both teams come from a short rest period, as Ufa played on Thursday for the Europa League and Lokomotiv on Friday for the Super Cup.

New logo, new name, new stadiums and a renovated interest after the World Cup success. Is with this renovated feeling that the Russian Premier League starts a new season.

Lokomotiv, CSKA, Spartak and Zenit are once again the favourites to win the League, with Krasnodar hoping this is the year they can reach at least the Champions League.

No Golovin No Problem

The season was officially open yesterday with CSKA Moscow beating the champions Lokomotiv. Already without Golovin and Vitinho, transferred last week to Monaco and Flamengo, was the young Khetag Khosonov who scored the winning goal in the extra-time. The Армейцы win this way their 12th Russian/Soviet Super Cup.

Early goal was enough for Spartak

Already this Saturday we had one of the top favourites playing, with Spartak Moscow beating the promoted Orenburg with a single goal of Gigot. As expected the home team was dominant but Ze Luis has an uninspired afternoon in front of the goal, allowing Orenburg to dream with the change of stealing a point until the end.

Tomorrow another candidate starts their season, with Zenit traveling to Krasnoyarsk to play against Yenisey. After several disappointing seasons, the Sine-Belo-Golubye are hoping that Sergei Semak can guide them again to the Russian title. In the late afternoon Rubin Kazan and Krasnodar play what is expected to be the game of the round.